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We were the international Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault (JCASA); and were dedicated to ending sexual violence in Jewish communities globally. We did our best to operate as the make a wish foundation for Jewish survivors of sex crimes. In the past we offered a clearinghouse of information, resources, support and advocacy.

Tuesday, July 04, 2000

Case of Aryeh Scher

Case of Aryeh Scher

Israeli vice-consul - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Israeli consul candidate - Canberra, Australia

New Zealand

Jerusalem, Israel

Aryeh Scher was an Israeli diplomat who was suspected of hosting child prostitution sessions in his home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Police found pictures of nude teenage girls in Scher's apartment, yet he left escaped from Brazil prior to being prosecuted. Five years after leaving Brazil moved to Canberra, Australia in hopes of becoming the Israel cousul there. He was asked to leave the country, due to the allegations made in Brazil. If you have more information on this case or know the whereabouts of Aryeh Scher, please forward the information to The Awareness Center.

Uri Lubrani, coordinator of Israeli policy in Lebanon, told Reuters after the three-hour meeting that a hopeful sign was a planned meeting between Israeli, Lebanese and United Nations military officials on the future of Israeli-occupied south Lebanon.

Gen. William Callaghan, commander of the U.N. peace-keeping forces in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, suggested the meeting yesterday to the Israelis, who accepted.

Israeli officials, who have long called for direct talks with Beirut, said they assumed UNIFIL had already brought up the idea with the Lebanese. Callaghan was in Beirut yesterday, according to a UNIFIL spokesman, who would not comment further.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres raised the idea of a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from southwest Lebanon while keeping Israeli troops in the east within artillery range of Damascus. This could occur if the Syrians rejected requests to include an Israeli-backed militia in the Lebanese arrangements.

Lubrani said this was partly aimed at pressuring Lebanese President Amin Gemayel, leader of his country's Christian community, to persuading Damascus to deal with Israel because a unilateral Israeli withdrawal would endanger the Christians in southern Lebanon.

Besides Lebanon, the Israelis gave Weinberger their intelligence assessment of increased Arab military might and discussed Israel's military needs for the coming decade.

Israel wants a $250 million American grant for the Lavi fighter bomber, expected to cost about $4 billion to develop and become the mainstay of the Israeli air force in the 1990s.

Israel and the United States are also continuing to work on a reported offer from the Reagan administration to delay for three months the repayment of $500 million in debt interest that Israel owes the United States.

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Beilin said yesterday that some technical details remained and "formally, it's not closed."

Beilin said, "The offer to delay the payments for 90 days was not ours. It came from the Americans."

He had told reporters Monday that the offer was made to Peres during his visit to Washington last week.

But later Monday, U.S. State Department spokesman John Hughes said that reports of an agreement to delay the payments were premature. Hughes told reporters that U.S. government officials had talked to Peres "on a contingency basis about problems that may develop" in the Israeli economy.

But he added that "no decisions have been taken about what moves would be the most desirable, or indeed about whether they would be needed."

Nevertheless, Beilin said the accountant-general for the Israeli Finance Ministry, Aryeh Scher, headed for Washington yesterday to discuss the deal, which would defer the debt repayments until the U.S. Congress reconvenes in January.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) - Police were searching for Israel's vice consul to this city after finding pornographic photographs of minors in his home Tuesday, officials said.

Police searched Arie Scher's penthouse, in Rio's upscale Ipanema district, after pictures of minors posing nude on top of his car and in his apartment turned up in the possession of another man charged with the sexual exploitation of minors, according to police duty officer Icaro Silva.

Police traced the car in the pictures to Scher through the license plate, and Silva said the search confirmed that other pictures were taken in his apartment.

Silva said similar photos were found in Scher's apartment and that he could be charged with inciting minors into prostitution.

The original photos were discovered in the apartment of 40-year-old Hebrew professor Georges Schteinberg, who was arrested after an 17-year-old girl accused him of using her as a pornographic model.

Police obtained a court order to search Scher's penthouse apartment, but the vice consul had already fled by the time they got there, Silva said.

BRASILIA, July 5 (Reuters) - An Israeli diplomat suspected of hosting child prostitution sessions after police found pictures of nude teenage girls in his apartment has left Brazil on his way home, Israeli officials said Wednesday.

Israel's administration consul to Rio de Janeiro, Arie Scher, flew out of Rio's international airport on Tuesday after the Israeli government recalled the middle-ranking diplomat to investigate whether he was innocent or guilty.

"His (Scher's) departure was through normal procedures. He left like any other official and up to now we haven't received any request for him to remain," said Eitan Surkin, Israel's consul-general to Rio de Janeiro.

"We feel that the case is taking on proportions which are out of the field of reality. Apart from that, we have to remember that everyone is innocent until it is proved to the contrary," he told reporters in Brasilia.

Scher will now be questioned by a special commission in Israel, starting on Thursday, to investigate the allegations.

Following a young girl's testimony, police arrested a Hebrew teacher at his Rio home early on Tuesday where they found pictures of nude girls taken in the diplomat's apartment. In other photos, where everybody was fully dressed, Scher appeared embracing the same girls.

"We confirmed that the pornographic pictures were taken next to the consul's pool and on his deck," said Roberto Costa, a chief investigator for the civil police.

Police said a young girl testified she was filmed and photographed by the teacher, Georges Schteinberg, having sex with Israeli tourists. She also claimed that Scher participated in some of the sessions, without explaining what his role was.

In Schteinberg's home, police said they found 12 videos, Internet messages and 154 pictures, including the shots of naked girls in Scher's apartment.

Rio de Janeiro has the highest rate of child prostitution in Brazil. Workers at hotels and restaurants along world-famous Copacabana beach often offer teenage prostitutes.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 5 (Reuters) - Brazilian police suspect an Israeli diplomat of hosting child prostitution sessions after finding pictures of nude teenage girls taken at his apartment, police said on Wednesday.

Police began a hunt for Israel's administration consul to Rio de Janeiro, Arie Scher, on Tuesday and the Israeli government said it was recalling the middle-ranking diplomat to investigate whether he was innocent or guilty.

Following a young girl's testimony, police arrested a Hebrew teacher at his home early on Tuesday where they found pictures of nude girls taken in the diplomat's apartment. In other photos, where everybody was fully dressed, Scher appeared embracing the same girls.

"We confirmed that the pornographic pictures were taken next to the consul's pool and on his deck," said Roberto Costa, a chief investigator for the civil police. "We are going to charge him with exploiting minors and prostituting them."

Police believe Scher is hiding out in the Israeli Consulate in Rio.

Foreign Minister David Levy told Israel's Army Radio, "I don't know if he is guilty, if he is innocent. The first thing is we need to bring him home and an investigation has to be conducted."

The Israeli Embassy in Brasilia said it would not comment on the case until it had further details.

Police said a young girl testified that she was filmed and photographed by the teacher, Georges Schteinberg, having sex with Israeli tourists. She also claimed that Scher participated in some of the sessions, without explaining what his role was.

In Schteinberg's home, police said they found 12 videos, Internet messages and 154 pictures, including the shots of naked girls in Scher's apartment.

Rio de Janeiro has the highest rate of child prostitution in Brazil. Workers at hotels and restaurants along world-famous Copacabana beach often offer to provide clients with teenage prostitutes.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) - An Israeli diplomat sought by police for his alleged involvement in child prostitution ring has returned to Israel, police said Wednesday, but they vowed to continue their investigations.

Icaro Silva, the Rio de Janeiro state police officer in charge of the case, said he hoped to conduct a written interrogation of vice-consul Arie Scher, who he said could be charged with inciting minors into prostitution.

On Tuesday, police said they seized pictures and videotapes of under-aged women at Scher's penthouse apartment in the upscale Ipanema district. Police said the pictures had been posted on the Internet in order to attract sex tourists to Rio.

Police were led to Scher after pictures of minors posing nude on top of his car and in his apartment turned up in the possession of 40-year-old Hebrew professor Georges Schtinberg, who was arrested after a 17-year-old girl accused him of using her as a pornographic model.

Schtinberg has been charged with the sexual exploitation of minors, Silva said.

Police traced a car that appeared in some of the pictures to Scher through the license plate, and Silva said the search confirmed that other pictures were taken in his apartment.

While police were searching his apartment, Scher apparently left the country flying to Israel via Argentina. Federal Police said they let the diplomat leave because they had received no order to arrest him or telling them that he was a crime suspect.

The Israeli Consulate said in a written statement that Scher had been called back to Israel at the order of the Foreign Ministry, which would conduct its own investigation.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 5 (JTA) -- Brazilian police were searching this week for an Israeli diplomat suspected of hosting child prostitution sessions after they found pictures of nude teen-age girls allegedly taken at his apartment.

Israeli officials said they are recalling Arie Scher to investigate the matter.

The search for Scher, 35, who served the Israeli government in China for two years before coming to Rio de Janeiro, came after George Steinberg, a local Hebrew teacher, accused Scher after police said they found pornographic videos and more than 100 pictures of young girls in compromising positions at Steinberg's house Tuesday morning.

Police searched Steinberg's home after a 17-year-old girl said Steinberg, 40, took a photo of her naked and posted it on an Internet site.

Scher fled his house -- instead of relying on diplomatic immunity -- just minutes before police searched his apartment without a warrant.

The single diplomat, who was very popular with the Jewish community, allegedly took his computer with him.

The Jewish community is shocked at the alleged involvement of Steinberg in the incident, which received huge play in the Brazilian media.

JERUSALEM (AP) - The Foreign Ministry on Thursday questioned an Israeli diplomat who is suspected of involvement in a child prostitution ring in Brazil.

Vice-Consul Arie Scher was called back from Brazil when the allegations against him first appeared in the Brazilian media, said ministry spokesman Akiva Tor.

Scher is not under arrest in Israel and Israeli police are not involved in the inquiry, the spokesman said. The questioning will likely go on for several days.

Police in Brazil have said they seized pictures and videotapes of under-age women at Scher's penthouse apartment in the upscale Ipanema district of Rio de Janeiro. Police said the pictures had been posted on the Internet in order to attract sex tourists to Rio.

Police were led to Scher after pictures of minors posing nude on top of his car and in his apartment turned up in the possession of 40-year-old Hebrew professor Georges Schtinberg, who was arrested after a 17-year-old girl accused him of using her as a pornographic model.

Schtinberg has been charged with the sexual exploitation of minors, police said.

While police were searching his apartment, Scher left the country flying to Israel via Argentina. Federal police in Brazil said they let the diplomat leave because they had received no order to arrest him or telling them that he was a crime suspect.

Israel wants to cooperate with Brazilian authorities in clearing up the matter, Tor said. He would not comment on whether Scher could be extradited to Brazil to stand trial, but noted that the two countries do not have an extradition treaty.

Deputy Consul Aryeh Scher, who has been accused of consorting with minors in Brazil, will not be permitted to return to his diplomatic post there, a Foreign Ministry official said yesterday.

Scher has returned to Israel and is facing a clarification committee, which has heard his version of events.

Amikam Levy, deputy head of the Foreign Ministry Human Resources Department, said in a letter to Scher yesterday that his duties in Brazil have been terminated, and that he is to remain on leave pending completion of the ministry's clarification process.

An Israeli diplomat sought by police for his alleged involvement in child prostitution ring has returned to Israel, police said, but the investigation is being continued.

Police said they seized pictures and videotapes of under-aged women at Scher's penthouse apartment in the upscale Ipanema district, and the pictures had been posted on the Internet in order to attract sex tourists to Rio.

Police were led to Scher after pictures of minors posing nude on top of his car and in his apartment turned up in the possession of 40-year-old Hebrew professor Georges Schtinberg, who was arrested after a 17-year-old girl accused him of using her as a pornographic model.

Police traced a car that appeared in some of the pictures to Scher through the license plate, and Silva said the search confirmed that other pictures were taken in his apartment.

While police were searching his apartment, Scher apparently left the country flying to Israel via Argentina. Federal Police said they let the diplomat leave because they had received no order to arrest him or telling them that he was a crime suspect.

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 12 (JTA) -- A Hebrew teacher jailed here on charges of engaging in child pornography is maintaining his innocence.

In a jailhouse interview with JTA, George Steinberg said he had no idea that a 17-year-old girl who turned him in was underage. He assumed she was older than 18, he said, because she worked at a night club.

The case sparked a furor in Brazil after an Israeli diplomat, Arie Scher, was also accused of involvement. Scher, who served the Israeli government in China for two years before coming to Rio de Janeiro, was subsequently recalled to the Jewish state, where officials are investigating the matter.

Police searched Steinberg's home last week after the girl -- identified only by the initial M. -- accused Steinberg, 40, of taking a nude photo of her and posting it on an Internet site.

According to reports at the time, Steinberg implicated Scher after police found pornographic videos and more than 100 pictures of young girls in compromising positions at Steinberg's house. The pictures of nude teen-age girls were allegedly taken at Scher's apartment.

During the interview, Steinberg said he never implicated Scher.

"M. did it," he told JTA, adding that Scher, too, is innocent.

"Arie is a good fellow. He was doing a good job as a consul and he asked millions of times" to make sure the photographed girls were not underage.

Steinberg admitted that one of the pictures had been taken at Scher's pool and that another was taken atop the diplomat's car. But he said the subject of the photo had shown him a document proving her age and that she had been photographed with her mother's permission.

Steinberg denied M.'s accusation that he had posted her nude photo on the Internet.

"She saw herself on my computer monitor, but I was not connected to the Internet. I know how to use Internet only to receive e-mail, and M. doesn't know how to open a site."

Steinberg claimed that M.'s accusations were a simple case of revenge.

"She used to come home drunk, and when I sent her away she got angry and wanted the pictures back."

Steinberg said Scher was right to return to Israel rather than face the Brazilian justice system.

"Arie is right not to remain in Brazil," he said. "The way things are conducted here, no one can rely on justice in Brazil. There are people here in prison for two years without having seen a judge."

Steinberg, who said the police had accused him of a crime without having any proof, said, "I just want to get out of prison.

"If it wasn't for the great media exposure, I would be already out," he said. "But the media inflate the case because it involves a diplomat, and they distort my words."

Steinberg said he hopes to be able to return to teaching "because I did nothing bad."

The vice-consul of Israel in the River, Aryeh Scher, was moved away from its functions for having been accused to photograph lesser nakeds, yesterday announced the Ministry of Foreign affairs of Israel. "the vice-consul, who had been called in return the Jerusalem, was suspended until an internal commission finishes to investigate this asunto", a spokesman of the ministry said. The decision was of the director of the ministry, Eytan Bentzour. The commission must receive a dossier from the Brazilian policy.

The policy arrived at the consul after arresting in day 4, in the River, the professor George Schteinberg, with ponographic photos of minors. It and Scher had been denounced by R.R., of 17 years. It said that she went to the apartment of Scher, where took off photos naked. In the same day, the diplomat ran away for Israel.

JERUSALEM (July 7) - The Foreign Ministry yesterday began its questioning of its vice-consul to Brazil, Aryeh Scher, accused by Brazilian authorities of involvement in producing and distributing child pornography. Scher flew back to Israel before he could be arrested in Brazil.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Akiva Tor explained that yesterday's questioning was the "first step" in an inquiry of undetermined but brief duration. He said that Scher was not removed from Brazil in evasion of a police warrant, but because of the negative attention he was attracting.

Tor added that the Foreign Ministry has not received a warrant from Brazilian authorities and that Scher is not currently under arrest.

Israeli general-consul Eitan Sorkin met with Brazilian foreign ministry officials on Wednesday and assured them that Scher had been returned to Israel for a "clarification" of allegations, and that the Israeli government intended to cooperate with Brazilian authorities.

The Brazilian daily Oglobo said that Brazilian judge Siro Darlan ruled that Scher be returned to Brazil. Brazilian authorities have said they have no doubt that Scher was involved in illegal activities, and stated that he will be jailed if he is returned.

Professor of Hebrew Georges Schteinberg, who was charged with sexually exploiting minors, led Brazilian authorities to Scher. The two men allegedly claimed that the girls appearing in nude photographs in their possession were their girlfriends, and had consented to sexual relations with them.

According to Oglobo, Jewish Congregation of Brazil president Rabbi Nilton Bonder decried Scher's departure from Brazil, and said that Schteinberg and Scher should not be considered representatives of the Jewish community there.

JERUSALEM (July 6) - Brazilian police continued to surround the Israeli consulate in Rio de Janeiro in the belief that Israeli vice-consul in Rio Aryeh Scher, wanted on suspicion of running a child pornography ring, had taken refuge there. However Foreign Ministry officials said Scher has been en route to Israel for the past two days.

Scher, who was at one point consul-general in Rio, was declared a fugitive by Brazilian authorities after a search of his apartment on Tuesday yielded what police officials described as evidence it was used for the manufacture of pornographic material, some of them involving underage girls.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman declined to comment on whether the Brazilian police had been informed of Scher's whereabouts, but said that general-consul Eitan Sorkin would meet with Brazilian foreign ministry officials yesterday afternoon.

Brazilian authorities notified the Israeli embassy of plans to revoke Scher's diplomatic immunity on Tuesday, prior to the search. By the time police were able to obtain a warrant to search Scher's penthouse, the vice-consul was already on his way back to Israel, where he will face a Foreign Ministry inquiry. A ministry spokesman said that Scher had been recalled when the first evidence of possible misconduct surfaced, and that he had left the country via "legal diplomatic channels."

The investigation that culminated in the search of Scher's apartment began when a 17-year-old girl accused Georges Schteinberg, a 40-year-old Hebrew teacher of using her as a model in pornographic pictures and of distributing them on the Internet. Photographs of nude minors posed on a car with diplomatic plates were discovered in a search of Schteinberg's residence earlier in the week, in addition to massive quantities of pornographic material. Police then traced the car in the pictures back to Scher.

The search of Scher's apartment confirmed that some of the photographs found at Schteinberg's residence had been taken in the vice-consul's penthouse.

Schteinberg, who is also alleged to have run a service that brought tourists to Brazil to visit child prostitutes, has since been charged with sexual exploitation of minors.

Israeli embassy and consulate officials in Brazil refused comment pending the release of further evidence.

New vice-consul of Israel breaks vertebrae of aged and escapes of punishment in the River

Hora Do Povo - November 13, 2001

(Translated by google.com)

The new vice-consul of Israel in Rio De Janeiro, Amir Shinshon Yerushalm, of 29 years, attacked the socos and kicks the taxista Norberto Da Silva Motta, of 66 years, after a transit quarrel. Completely ensandeciado, the sionista representative still tried to play the driver in a ribanceira. Its Norberto did not only die because he was hanging in the twigs of a tree.

Rebelled with the cruelty of the Israeli - that it broke with blows and kicks two vertebrae of the driver - some people that had witnessed the aggression had tried to pass a punishment in the disciple of Sharon, but they had been contained by the policy.

The old vice-consul, Aryeh Scher, are refugee in Israel, after the Brazilian policy to have proven its envolvement in the organization of a net of pedofilia and emitted warrant. Beyond satiated documentation and innumerable depositions, the policy found photos of Aryeh with naked Brazilian children.

5 years after being suspected of sex scandals in Brazil, when he was vice-consul, first consul Aryeh Minister following Australia

By Ilil Dawn

Maariv - February 8, 2005

(Original article in Hebrew below)

Five years ago he quickly packed his belongings and left the Brazil following the sex scandal that got into trouble . Series of photographs of nude minors , pool house , and his - Israeli vice-consul - some rest s embarrassing sparks row in Brazil , and he called right back home to Israel . Now : He was appointed new luxury - Israeli consul in Australia.

Only five years ago he has been linked problematic sexual affairs in Brazil , in the period he served as vice consul there.

When the case was brought Brazilian police suspected him difficult problems , but the Minister left the country before the local police had time to explore it .

Underage nude swimming diplomat

Provision rolled a small picture of a girl smiling with her breasts bared found online. The girl found the picture naked and complained to the police who she claims took her picture - Mario Hebrew teacher named Georgie Steinberg . But when the police came to the house of Steinberg they found hundreds of nude pictures and photos of children 11 years old and no one could explain what he was doing in the apartment.

Israeli diplomatic relations , according to Brazilian police , it was clear . Police convinced between Minister Steinberg had close friendships , in part thanks to the images which they filmed together. "According to our evidence, the teacher got the girls to Israelis in town and wanted to have sex with minors ," he said in an interview after the story exploded the Principal Investigator Iker Silva .

One of these Israelis , according to local police version was Arie sings. " The parties were at the home of Vice Consul ," added Roberto , a researcher in the department, " the girls were the responsibility of the teacher. Home of Vice Consul parties and orgies were held in Israeli public hydrogen ."

The girl complained to the police admitted that he was paid to bring more of underage girls and boys to parties. According to police information , at a party filmed underage nude pool of vice-consul , and another teacher are singing and erotic pose .

"The material we gathered at the home of a minister, before leaving Brazil , one can say with certainty some things . Do not have a problem with a person's sexual preference , it does not interest the police . What is interesting is if involving minors nude . 90 percent of the photos were taken at the home of Vice consul . Steinberg taught children Hebrew , and the money paid to young vice-consul to come to parties at the house of the Minister , "said Roberto .

"These photographs of a friend "

But the Brazilian investigation did not come to an end , as minister abruptly left the Brazil - returned to Israel . Here he gave his version of events, that the photos are " photographs of Brazilian friend " and porn pictures . He said the photographs were police search his house, and distributed online.

Provision has been studied so the Civil Service Commission , decided to settle a mild reproof . There minister said that his behavior was inappropriate diplomat did , but determined that it is not enough to remove him from the Foreign Service . Penalty imposed on the Minister was not to go out on a diplomatic mission for five years , and now have completed five years allotted - travel Minister of Australia.

Meanwhile, the famous diplomat had also married, and the Foreign Ministry have concluded that he paid his dues and deserves a second errand . "The man suited for the job and there is no reason not to be appointed , he did not do anything wrong, just make him an injustice ," the Foreign Ministry official said , " Advertisers his old photos , past student , and destroy his image ."

Another mentioned that the Minister is a diplomat dedicated and well liked on the faculty of foreign diplomats in Israel . "This is a hard working and reliable person that performs the role well and has received high praise ," said senior . Office conducted a consultation if you cancel the appointment following the expected publication and criticism, but finally decided that the Minister was cleared of all charges and therefore there is no reason to cancel the appointment.

" There were no orgies in my house "

After the scandal was published in Israel minister said : "my house social events were often part of my job . Individual events are not financed from funds of representation , and in no way there were no orgies in my house ."

Yesterday he declined to comment on the new appointment . Yesterday also showed new details about the removal of the previous consul in Australia last month . Investigation held at the Foreign Ministry became clear once the previous consul not removed because of inappropriate behavior on the personal level . After he was sent for a lie detector and cleared of all suspicion .

According to estimates in the Foreign Ministry , the reason for his removal was an act committed position. Australian officials recently hinted that deportation related to the affair two " Mossad agents " the Israelis captured in New Zealand after trying to buy fake passports .

The Foreign Ministry recently ordered a delay in the appointment of Aryeh Scher to the post of Israel's next consul in Australia, due to a sexual scandal from five years ago while he served as Israel?s consul in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil.

While in Brazil, Scher was photographed in the nude along with Brazilian girls, some of which were minors. A criminal probe was launched in Brazil, and while the case was never closed, Sar was returned to Israel and was tried before a civil servants' court. He was not found guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, but was reprimanded and inappropriate behavior. The case was originally exposed in the Ma'ariv daily.

Scher's past has received much attention in the Australian media. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom decided to delay the appointment, saying the relations with Canberra are already strained, after Israeli envoy Amir Lati was recently repatriated.

According to Australian media reports, Lati was asked to leave the country immediately for an alleged relationship he had with a woman who worked for Australia' Defense Department.

Lati claimed there was nothing wrong with his conduct, and that the relations he had with local women were normal.

The Australian government described the incident involving Lati as a matter of national security, a move which indicates Canberra may have considered Lati a foreign agent. In his diplomatic capacity, Lati was the charge d'ffaires in New Zealand and maintained contact with two Israelis held in a New Zealand jail over passport fraud.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom recently delayed the appointment of Aryeh Sher to the post of Israel's next consul in Australia.

Shalom ordered reexamining Sher's appointment due to a sexual scandal five years ago while Sher served as Israel's consul in Rio De Janeiro in Brazil.

Sher was photographed in the nude with Brazilian girls, some of whom were minors. A criminal investigation was launched in Brazil, and while the case was never closed, Sher was returned to Israel and tried before a civil servants' tribunal. He was not found guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, but was reprimanded for inappropriate behavior.

Shalom said he did not know of the affair prior to Sher's appointment. He said he withheld the appointment as relations with Canberra were already strained, following the recent repatriation of Israeli envoy Amir Lati.

Australia's security described the Lati case as a matter of "social security."

According to a report in The Australian, Lati was asked to leave the country immediately for an alleged relationship he had with a woman who worked for Australia's Defense Department.

The report indicates that Australian security suspected that Lati was an intelligence agent working under diplomatic cover to recruit the woman. It rules out a previously implied connection between Lati and the two Mossad agents who were arrested in New Zealand about a year ago.

The report says Lati, in his early 30s, lived in a rented flat in Canberra's fashionable Kingston suburb and frequently went out drinking at the B-Bar, a popular politicians' haunt.

Foreign Ministry sources said Lati denied acting for any intelligence agency and said he acted according to all the ministry's directives.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has decided to take another look at the appointment of Aryeh Scher as a consul at the Australian Embassy. Scher was accused by Brazil of involvement in a child pornography ring during a diplomatic posting there five years ago.

He was hurriedly returned to Israel at the time, and told he would not get another foreign posting for five years.

Scher was to replace Amir Lati, the Israeli consul who was returned to Israel a few weeks ago under mysterious circumstances.

Neither the Australian or Israeli governments have commented on Lati's return to Israel, fueling speculation that it was espionage-related.

Israeli diplomat Arie Scher's appointment to Australia as a consul was being reconsidered last night.

The Israeli foreign ministry said it was "having a second look" at the posting after an Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, reported the ministry had ordered a delay in Mr Scher's appointment because of a series of incidents in Brazil five years ago when he was serving as Israel's consul.

A spokesman for the ministry, Mark Regev, told the Herald yesterday that weekend reports of sexual indiscretions by Mr Scher had been thoroughly checked by the ministry and had been found to be without foundation.

Mr Scher had been tried by a public service court and been found guilty of some "inappropriate behaviour" such as wild parties. But the ministry retained complete confidence in him.

"We have a 100 per cent no tolerance policy about sexually exploitative or abusive behaviour," Mr Regev said. "If there was any evidence to suggest he was guilty of any of that, he would be out in an extremely short period."

Mr Scher has been set to replace Amir Laty, who left about a month ago under mutual agreement between Australia and Israel. The reasons for Mr Laty's premature departure have not been publicly stated.

An Israeli diplomat allegedly involved in a sex scandal while serving in Brazil five years ago has voluntarily withdrawn his candidacy to serve in Israel's embassy in Canberra.

Aryeh Scher was to replace Amir Laty, the Israeli diplomat thrown out of Australia in December on national security grounds.

Both Israel and Australia have been tightlipped about Mr Laty's expulsion.

But it has been revealed that Mr Laty had rekindled a friendship with the daughter of Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and had been due to spend Christmas with the Ruddock family, before authorities ordered his expulsion.

An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said Scher informed Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom that because of the negative "atmosphere" his appointment had created both in Israel and Australia, he has decided to forego the appointment, the Jerusalem Post reported today.

Although Shalom last week said he was going to take a "second look" at the appointment, ministry officials said Shalom did not ask Scher to turn down the post, but rather Scher took this step on his own volition, according to the report.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Zegev has said an Israeli Civil Service Commission hearing into sex ring allegations found "behaviour unbecoming of a diplomat, but there was no criminal conduct".

The alleged incident occurred when Scher was a young single man in Brazil five years ago.

Federal Attorney General Philip Ruddock says any relationship his daughter (right) had with an Israeli diplomat is not relevant to the man's expulsion from Australia.

A report in this week's Australian Jewish News says the former diplomat, Amir Laty, told Israeli Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem that he had been in "close contact" with Caitlin Ruddock.

The report also says that Amir Laty believes his friendship with 26-year-old Ms Ruddock may have been linked to the Australian Government ordering him to leave the country.

Mr Laty's expulsion has not been explained by the Federal Government.

The report said Mr Laty had been invited to Christmas lunch at the Ruddock's Sydney home, but the invitation was subsequently cancelled.

hRuddockMr Ruddock has told Southern Cross radio the Government will not comment on the expulsion.

"I don't believe that is appropriate to look at whether or not my daughter had had relationships with anybody," he said.

"Certainly any acquaintance she may or may not have had with this particular gentleman was totally irrelevant to his departure from Australia."

Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says he has been briefed by ASIO but cannot discuss the matter.

"These are sensitive matters and the Opposition is privileged to obtain national security briefings from ASIO," he said.

"I'm not to be in a position of breaching the undertakings we've given to ASIO."

Mr Laty, who was posted to Canberra for 18 months, went to New Zealand last year to visit two Israelis who were jailed there on charges of fraudulently obtaining passports.

The two, who were expelled from New Zealand for allegedly being agents of Israel's spy agency Mossad, also spent time in Australia.

Meanwhile, the Australian Jewish News also reports that Australian Jewish leaders have opposed the Israel's Foreign Ministry replacement for Amir Laty.

They rejected Aryeh Scher's appointment because of alleged involvement in a child-sex scandal in Brazil five years ago.

The website reports that the Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom this week agreed to review the appointment.

Mr Scher, a former Israeli vice-consul at the Israeli Embassy in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, was reportedly cleared by an Israeli government committee of any criminal behaviour but was censured for "inappropriate behaviour" and barred from going abroad for five years

JEWISH leaders in Australia say the man who was to replace an expelled Israeli diplomat has decided against taking up the position because of the controversy over his appointment.

The Australian Jewish News has reported that Jewish leaders opposed the appointment of Aryeh Scher, to replace expelled diplomat Amir Laty, because of his alleged involvement in a scandal in Brazil five years ago.

Vic Alhadeff from the Jewish Board of Deputies says Mr Scher no longer wants the job.

"We have just learnt that Ayreh Scher, the Israeli diplomat in question, has just withdrawn his candidacy, quote unquote, because of the negative atmosphere which his appointment has caused both in Israel and Australia and he's decided to withdraw his appointment," he said.

Mr Laty's departure has not been explained by the Federal Government.

He has reportedly said he may have been asked to leave Australia because of his friendship with the Federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock's 26-year-old daughter.

Mr Ruddock says any relationship his daughter had a former Israeli diplomat is not relevant to the man's departure.

The matter has prompted a political row over the reasons behind the Mr Laty's expulsion.

Israel is coming under increasing pressure to reconsider its latest diplomatic appointment to Australia after complaints that the official had been involved in a South American sex scandal.

This comes amid reports that the diplomat he is replacing, Amir Laty - allegedly expelled in December on national security grounds - believes he may have been forced out of Australia because of his close contact with Attorney-General Philip Ruddock's daughter.

In the latest of a series of controversies besetting Israel's Canberra embassy, some Australian Jewish leaders have protested at the appointment of Aryeh Scher as a senior consul. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Zegev confirmed Mr Scher had previously been censured for improper conduct in Brazil, but an inquiry determined he had not indulged in criminal behaviour.

Mr Zegev said concerns had been raised "from several quarters" about the appointment, "so we are having a second look at the appointment because we take these concerns very seriously".

Mr Scher had been "a young single man in Brazil" five years ago. An Israeli Civil Service Commission hearing into sex ring allegations found "behaviour unbecoming of a diplomat, but there was no criminal conduct", Mr Zegev said.

He firmly rejected media reports that Mr Scher had been part of a child sex ring.

Graeme Leonard, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said he had not complained to Israel. "My executive took the view that it was best left to the Government to sort out, and we were confident they would," he told The Age.

Australian Jewish News editor Dan Goldberg said the Israeli Foreign Ministry had shown a "blatant disregard" for the spotlight shining on the embassy because of the Laty affair in deciding "to dispatch a diplomat who had been implicated by Brazilian police, rightly or wrongly, in a child sex scandal".

But Mr Goldberg has editorialised to defend Mr Laty, suggesting he was expelled in tit-for-tat diplomacy because one of two Israelis convicted in New Zealand last year for passport fraud had been living in Sydney.

A spokesman for Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he had no comment.

A spokeswoman for Mr Ruddock said any link between his daughter and Mr Laty had no connection to his departure. Mr Ruddock is responsible for the ASIO spy agency. The Age has confirmed reports that Mr Laty had been invited to spend time at the Ruddock home at Christmas. It is believed the invitation was withdrawn after Australian authorities ordered his expulsion.

It is not believed that the relationship was close, but ASIO is believed to have had concerns about Mr Laty's motivations.

Caitlin Ruddock, 26, is an accounting lecturer at the University of NSW. She is believed to have met Mr Laty while studying in Beijing.

Ms Ruddock would not elaborate yesterday, saying only: "This issue has nothing to do with me. You should speak to my dad's office."

Mr Laty's expulsion has been linked to his visits to two Mossad agents convicted for attempting to fraudulently obtain passports in New Zealand. Government sources have also tried to claim that the move against Mr Laty was due to his personal relationships, and alleged pursuit of women, in Canberra - including Defence Department employees._________________________________________________________________________________

Australians were given a peek into the cloak and dagger world of spy v spy this week as revelations surfaced of an alleged Israeli secret agent seducing a high-level female Defence Department employee. Attorney-General Philip Ruddock's daughter was also dragged into the fray. Ken Vernon reports.

THE revelation that a Jewish `James Bond' has been schmoozing his way into the hearts, minds and more of Canberra girls

in search of secrets will hardly come as a surprise in spying circles.

But Australian intelligence agencies were thoroughly shaken, and stirred themselves into action.

Amir Lati was kicked out of the country in late December after spending most of his 18 months in Canberra trying to bed female spies, diplomats, defence specialists and even journalists.

Such extracurricular activities are, on their own, hardly enough to warrant expulsion. Many Canberra girls have been seduced by the political and financial power that comes with working in ministerial offices and the offices of prominent department heads.

More than a few have been the willing mistresses of high-profile political figures while others have, quite literally, worked their way through the corridors of power.

Of course, many young men have done the same thing, but their conquests, on the whole, have been far more discreet.

In a city where sexual politics plays a significant role, the actions of Lati would, on the surface, barely raise an eyebrow.

Selecting well-placed female government officials for `careful cultivation' to obtain secret information is a `game' as old as politics itself. But the sordid tale of Amir Lati took an even more bizarre turn when the spy's long-term friendship with Attorney General Philip Ruddock's 26-year-old daughter, Caitlin, came to light.

Mr Ruddock, who is responsible for the domestic spy agency ASIO - the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation -

demanded privacy for his daughter, who befriended the Israeli spy six years ago at a university in Beijing.

The highly public case of the alleged Israeli spy stunned Australians this week when it was announced that the Australian Government had demanded the young diplomat leave the country immediately or be declared `persona non grata'.

It is confidently being suggested that Lati was a Mossad spy detailed to penetrate Australia under a diplomatic cover, possibly in an effort to ferret out operational US military secrets known to Australia.

Israel also uses Australia as a base to monitor the activities of Islamic terrorists in the region according to American security expert Paul Buchanan, a New Zealand-based academic who has worked for the US military and Defence Department.

He believes these organisations might also have been Lati's target.

Whatever the reason, the episode has lifted the heavy veil of secrecy that usually cloaks the operations of intelligence agencies, revealing the juicy titbits beneath. `Bond' and `M' would not be amused.

The Israeli Institute for Intelligence and Special Tasks, more commonly known as Mossad - arguably the best intelligence service in the world - is well known for using sex to loosen tongues and beguile unwary targets into compromising situations that can then by exploited by unscrupulous secret agents.

It's called the `honeypot trap' and intelligence agencies worldwide utilise it - just ask James Bond. What is unusual, is for the ploy to become public.

One case in which it did was that of Israeli nuclear whistle- blower Mordechai Vanunu. Beautiful Israeli spy Cheryl Hanin, known as `Cindy', seduced the innocent Vanunu and lured him to Rome where he could be captured by an Israeli team and spirited to Israel, later spending almost 20 years in jail.

The case of Amir Lati is a little different. He was posted as a second secretary at the Israeli Embassy in Canberra, although the wags are already suggesting the he could have been called the `charge d'affaires' because of the scope of his extra-diplomatic activities.

It has emerged that the diplomat was having an affair with a young female Defence Department employee, who had high security clearance, and that ASIO was instrumental in unmasking the Israeli spy and having him expelled from Australia.

ASIO's main role is to gather information and produce intelligence that will enable it to warn the Government about activities or

situations that might endanger Australia's national security.

Since being unmasked, the young Israeli might have attempted to cloud the water over his public humiliation by suggesting that a friendship - and there is no real suggestion that it was anything more than that - with Caitlin Ruddock was responsible for his sudden expulsion.

Adding more intrigue to the pot is the fact that ASIO falls under Mr Ruddock's control.

In reports leaked to the Hebrew language newspaper Ma'ariv, after he arrived back in Israel, Lati is said to have told Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem that he had been in close contact with Caitlin, who is a lecturer in accounting at the University of New South Wales.

He said he had even been invited to the Ruddock house for Christmas, hinting that his friendship with Ms Ruddock, rather than his affair with the Defence Department employee, was the cause of his expulsion.

The two had renewed their initial Beijing friendship when Lati was posted to Canberra in late 2003.

Foreign Ministry sources confirmed that Lati had been invited to Ruddock's Sydney home for Christmas lunch, but was barred from attending after Australian authorities summoned then acting Israeli Ambassador Gabby Levy to demand Lati's ejection.

According to reports in Ma'ariv, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade summoned Levy and requested the immediate recall of the diplomat or steps would be taken to declare him `persona non grata' and start deportation proceedings.

Israel's Foreign Ministry instructed Lati to head home immediately. An official later said the expulsion of the `professional and devoted worker' was a `complete mystery'.

However, in a sign that Lati was acting under orders in initiating the affair, Mark Regev - an Australian-born spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry - defended Lati, saying that the diplomat, who is in his early 30s, had done `nothing wrong'.

"He will get another overseas posting soon," Regev reportedly said.

Other official sources in Australia revealed that Lati also pestered a number of other young women after his normal working hours. Some complained about his unwanted attentions and his persistent phone calls, saying they put his behaviour down to what they called `cultural differences'.

Lati was also described as an `extrovert' who frequented bars in the Kingston area of Canberra, in particular those frequented by politicians.

During an inquiry conducted by the Australian department of Foreign Affairs, Lati reportedly denied working for any intelligence agency, saying he worked according to the rules specified by the ministry.

It is believed that Lati first caused a blip on ASIO's radar when he went to New Zealand to visit two Israeli spies jailed for trying to illegally obtain a NZ passport (pictured above).

New Zealand passports are in high demand across the world because they are normally accepted without a visa.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said that Lati had visited the country in his official capacity to visit alleged Mossad spies Uriel Kelman and Eli Cara while they were in Mt Eden Prison, serving a six-month jail term for attempting to obtain a New Zealand passport. It is probable that ASIO has been keeping close tabs on the man since.

However, intelligence expert Paul Buchanan suggested that Lati's visits to the two alleged Israeli spies suggested he might have been their `handler'.

In the wake of Lati's expulsion, another embarrassing storm has broken over the man Israel selected to replace him.Aryeh Scher was reportedly involved in a sex scandal in Brazil five years ago and it was Jewish leaders in Australia who first protested the

decision by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to send Scher to replace Lati.

They fired off a complaint through Israeli Ambassador Nati Tamir directly to Jerusalem and their tactic seems to have worked, with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom immediately agreeing to review the appointment of Scher.

According to reports at the time in Israeli newspapers, Scher fled Brazil five years ago after being implicated in child pornography - before police were able to question him.

Scher, who was the Israeli vice-consul in Rio de Janeiro, was reportedly to be charged with running an illegal child pornography and prostitution business. A search of Scher's apartment after he fled is said to have turned up child porn, according to Roberto Costa, a chief investigator for the Brazilian police.

Scher fled the country after Brazilian authorities notified the Israeli Embassy of plans to revoke his diplomatic immunity.

According to Israeli press reports, he was cleared by an internal government committee of any criminal wrong-doing, but was censured for inappropriate behaviour and barred from going abroad for five years.

The five years may be up, but Israeli Foreign Ministry sources say that although the appointment has yet to be formally cancelled, it is, to all intents and purposes, dead in the water.

The sources added that Mr Shalom blew his top when apprised of Scher's previous scandal, fuming at top foreign ministry officials who had failed to bring the matter up during the formal deliberation on Scher's posting.

Mark Regev said a thorough investigation of Scher's activities in Brazil had been concluded a long time ago.

The scandals come just two weeks before Israeli President Moshe Katsav visits Australia, the first visit by an Israeli head of state in 18 years - and only the second in history.

_________________________________________________________________________________Australia agog with tale of the playboy `diplomat' and a minister's daughterBy Kathy MarksThe Independent - February 20, 2005

Was he a spy who courted women in high places to gain access to top-secret intelligence, or a would-be Casanova who pestered his way around the Canberra social circuit? And was it Amir Laty's friendship with a senior Australian minister's daughter that prompted the expulsion of this Israeli diplomat and notorious party animal?

Mr Laty left Australia late last year, 18 months into his posting, but the news was hushed up until last week. Both Australia and Israel have refused to discuss the reasons for his abrupt departure, fuelling lurid media reports linking him with high-level espionage and painting him as a male Mata Hari. Most intriguingly, it has emerged that he was a friend of Caitlin Ruddock, whose father, Philip, is the Australian Attorney General. Indeed, the young and single Mr Laty was invited to the Ruddock household for Christmas lunch, but found himself unable to attend as a result of moves to expel him.

The story, featuring headlines such as "The spy and the minister's daughter" and "The strange case of the disappearing diplomat", has Australians agog.

The government dismisses the friendship with Ms Ruddock as irrelevant, but the affair - which has blown up on the eve of a visit by Moshe Katsav, the first Israeli President to come to Australia for 18 years - is causing it severe embarrassment.

To make matters worse, it has been confirmed that the man appointed to replace Mr Laty was embroiled in a child sex scandal in Brazil five years ago. Aryeh Scher, who was allegedly photographed in the nude with young girls, has been forced to withdraw his candidacy.

Mr Laty, in his early 30s, was a second secretary, with responsibility for consular matters in Australia and New Zealand. He lived in a fashionable Canberra suburb and was a well-known bar- hopper, favouring venues patronised by journalists, political aides and civil servants. One acquaintance, it's true, described him as "a bit of a dork". And the Sydney Morning Herald reported that some women were "unnerved" by his behaviour. One woman told The Daily Telegraph that he pursued her relentlessly, telephoning her for a month and offering her gifts.

But government sources have hinted at darker motives behind his alleged womanising. Mr Laty is said to have cultivated liaisons with women in the Defence Department and the Department of Prime Minister and cabinet. The implication is that he was using the "honey-pot" method, feigning a love interest in the hope of picking up classified information that the US and Britain share with Australia.

There have also been suggestions of links with a spy scandal that led to two alleged Mossad agents, Uriel Kelman and Eli Cara, being jailed in New Zealand last year for passport fraud. Mr Laty visited the pair, who served three months before being deported. Relations between New Zealand and Israel remain strained, and the Prime Minister, Helen Clark, has refused to allow Mr Katsav to visit.

Israel was reportedly ordered to recall Mr Laty or have him declared persona non grata. He has blamed his friendship with Ms Ruddock, a 26- year-old accountancy lecturer, for the expulsion. The pair met while they were studying together in Beijing six years ago. Opposition politicians who demanded an explanation for the departure were told to consult the domestic spy agency, ASIO. Mr Ruddock, a former Immigration minister, has responsibility for ASIO.

His other daughter, Kirsty, created a stir in 2002 when she publicly denounced his hardline policy on asylum-seekers.

Pressed about the reason why Mr Laty left, Mr Ruddock gave an answer reminiscent of Monty Python's "Dead Parrot" sketch. He said: "Somebody has left Australia. Diplomats come and go. He has left Australia. He departed Australia."

The Australian government claims that relations with Israel remain warm and cordial.

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Survivors ARE Heroes!

The Awareness Center believes ALL survivors of sex crimes should be given yellow ribbons to wear proudly.

Survivors of sexual violence (as adults and/or as a child) are just as deserving of a yellow ribbon as the men and women of our armed forces, who have been held captive as hostages or prisoners of war.

Survivors of sexual violence have been forced to learn how to survive, being held captive not by foreigners, but mostly by their own family members, teachers, camp counselors, coaches babysitters, rabbis, cantors or other trusted authority figures.

For these reasons ALL survivors of sexual violence should be seen as heroes!